The Painter

3 - Shona

I have fallen asleep after having read that letter a thousand times. It's such an heartbreaking love declaration, I cannot really make up my mind about it. It had me shaking and almost crying... Not to mention it has my name, and even my nickname, in it! It seems someone wrote it for me.
I have to know more about it!

Just while I am thinking this, a car horn wakes me from my thoughts: it's Shona, my friend and colleague. I look outside and see her dark curls and white smile showing from the window, together with her bronze colored hand waving fastly. She's trying to hurry me cause we are going to be late for work. But.. aren't we always late?
I have to share with her the letter, we totally have to work on this! I am not sure our principal will like the idea of such a story in his journal, but I will think about how to sell it to him later on. I first want to know more about this other Elizabeth and her romantic lover.

We talked about it over a coffee, and... well, what can I say? I choose my friends wisely. Or kind of.
"Are you kidding me? This is AMAZING! We totally have to know more about this guy and, especially this girl who has your name!! Are you sure you didn't have a boyfriend back in the days?"
"Shona, I was 8 years old, and in this letter it's CLEAR that they did have some... intimate encounters."
"Uhm yeah, I know but still..."
"It's another Lily, not me. Okay?"
"Okay, okay... so from where we start?"
"What about the local library?"

Despite having spent there almost the whole day, telling our principal Ben we were researching for an important news article, we could not really find out much. I got the confirmation that the house has been basically forever in my family, and it's a very old house, but we couldn't find any Jean in the owners names' list.
I was kinda disappointed, but Shona suggested we should have gone see the house again: it may have hidden something else. Without any further hesitation, we head there.

It's almost night once we arrive: I admit it, the house look pretty different now. 
"Feels like we're in an horror movie, doesn't it?" 
Shona read my mind. I nod in silence, using the torch of my phone to put some light. We move silently, and start looking around.
"So, where do we look first?"
I try to remember where the old wardrobe in which I found the box was, but the dark isn't of help.
"Over there" I illuminate an area, hoping it is the right one.
We literally looked in the whole house, but couldn't really find much, except an old heart-shaped medallion and a fortune teller's business card.
"What is this? Miss Jaga, fortune teller...??"
"I think my grandma liked to visit her to know what was going on in her life and get some guidance"
"She believed these things?"
"These aren't things... it's... yeah she believe there was something more"
"Do you do too?"
"I don't know. Let's take a look there"
I try to shut the conversation. It's a bit embarassing, but I did and still believe there is something more. I have never been able to grab it, but I knew my grandma was right. She was able to read people's energies, to know what was going on... and everyone loved to be around her, for she was always a warm and soothing presence. She almost emanated light. She tried to explain me that we're never alone, that spirits of our ancestors and guides are always around us trying to help us, and the Universe does listen to our deepest desires; I used to believe her and pray them to help me. But then I grew up and got out of that, mostly because I could never find someone else believing in the same thing or willing to listen and not burst into laughters or telling me. I kinda feel sorry inside my heart about my choice.

"Ah, there's nothing here, let's go back home. It's almost day, and we have to find a new excuse for Ben to spend the morning in bed"
I nod, grab the medallion and the business card, and leave with Shona.